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The Second World War Illustrated: 1944: Pushing Back the Axis
by Jack HolroydThe Second World War Illustrated: 1944 follows the author's visual tour of the war by means of painstakingly researched and digitally restored pictures from the period of the key battlefields and events of the period from September 1943 to the late summer of 1944. This year marked a defining change in the balance of the war; by its end the Axis powers were in serious trouble on all their fronts. The book begins with a visual history of the Allied invasion of Italy at Salerno and the subsequent slow progress made in Italy, including the battle for Monte Cassino, the landings at Anzio and the liberation of Rome. The focus then shifts to the planning for the Normandy landings: we are reminded of the magnitude of the task facing the Allies, with an analysis of the formidable defenses of Hitler's Atlantic Wall and the beach defenses along the French coast. There are fascinating pictures of preparations by the Allies during Operation Tiger and detailed maps that explain the build-up and execution of the invasion beaches. There is detailed coverage of the D Day landings and the fierce fighting involved in the breakthrough of the German defenses in Normandy to the liberation of Paris, as well as the often neglected Allied landings in the south of France. The author provides a fascinating photographic history of Operation Valkyrie, the plot to kill Hitler on 20 July 1944, including key players, the planning and the aftermath of the failed attempt on the Führer's life. There is a chapter on Hitler's new terror weapon – the V2 rocket, including the men and women who designed them and the Allied attempts to disrupt their development with the Peenemünde raid; a separate chapter looks at the growing air offensive against Germany. Although overshadowed by events in the west, there is chapter on the increasingly evident collapse of the German army on the Eastern Front, which included the loss of his Army Group Centre. Latter chapters turn our attention to the war in the east. The American advance continued in the South Pacific, involving bloody battles to take what appear to be insignificant islands and island groups, bringing the Allies ever closer to the Japanese mainland. The British and Indian armies continued to be threatened by the Japanese army’s push to India via Burma, which was finally halted at Kohima and Imphal. With over 1,000 original photographs, this is a true labor of love and an ideal purchase for anyone interested in the history of the Second World War in a more accessible form.
The Second World War Illustrated: The First Year: Archive and Colour Photographs of WW2
by Jack HolroydThis fully illustrated history chronicles the road to WWII and the first year of combat through archival and color photographs accompanied by text. The first volume in this series depicts the contributing factors that led to the outbreak of hostilities, including the rise of fascist dictators across Europe and in Japan. It also details the Blitzkrieg invasions that rocked the world as two superpowers, France and Great Britain, were soundly thrashed on the battlefield of Europe. Overwhelmed by the Nazi onslaught, British Expeditionary Force fled across the Channel from Dunkirk, leaving most of their equipment behind. A possible invasion of Kent in the south of England by a triumphant enemy presented a spine-tingling threat to the British people. But Winston Churchill disparaged peace treaties with the Nazi regime, and the fight back began. A few thousand fighter pilots of the Royal Air Force defeated the Luftwaffe by a very narrow margin, and Hitler changed his focus, looking to the east. The first year of the war ended, in September 1940, with Mussolini threatening Egypt and the Suez Canal. Rare wartime photographs capture the drama and humanity of this dark time in Europe.
The Second World War Illustrated: The Fourth Year
by Jack HolroydTHE FOURTH YEAR began with intensified fighting on Guadalcanal in the southern Solomon Islands in September 1942. The United States had launched their fight back in the Pacific when they landed there the previous month. In the Western hemisphere the USA threw its almighty weight into the fight against Hitler’s Germany with the ‘Operation Torch’ landings in North Africa. The Americans had boots on the ground. Hitherto in the war the Axis had largely been the controllers of events; now as often as not, they had to react to occurrences under a continuous rain of blows. Montgomery had masterminded a tactical success at El Alamein in November 1942; Rommel had retreated to face an Allied invasion of Tunisia and defeat of all Axis forces on that continent. This was followed in Russia by Hitler losing an entire army at Stalingrad when the starving survivors surrendered in January 1943. Then the Allies invaded Sicily triggering the ousting of Italy’s dictator, Mussolini, from power. Further concern for the German Führer came with the first daylight bombing raid by the USAAF at the end of January 1943. It was followed by the RAF successfully breaching two dams in the Ruhr valley in a precision night raid. Those events heralded round the clock bombing of Germany by day and night. On the Eastern Front in the summer Hitler gambled one final strategic offensive at Kursk and suffered a decisive defeat, never again to regain the initiative or launch a major offensive in Russia. By the end of the fourth year of the war the Allies dominated the vital Atlantic seaways upon which future Allied strategy was entirely dependent – although the German submarine menace still existed.
The Second World War Illustrated: The Third Year
by Jack HolroydA pictorial history of the third year of World War II, featuring archive and color photographs. This third volume sees Hitler experiencing problems reminiscent of a previous invader of Russia, Napoleon Bonaparte: extreme winter conditions that first drenched then froze the vast Nazi war machine, immobilizing tanks, guns, support vehicles, and grounding the Luftwaffe. Unlike Napoleon, Hitler failed to capture Moscow. In North Africa, the British were sent reeling back towards Egypt when Rommel launched an attack at the end of January. Much to the amazement of all and the disappointment of Churchill—the Axis troops took Tobruk in a single day. Churchill dismissed the commander and appointed Montgomery, who made a stand at El Alamein. Great Britain&’s stand-alone position ended abruptly on when Tojo launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Both Hitler and Mussolini declared war on the United States and the war became global. With the attack on Pearl Harbor the Japanese flooded through the South Pacific, the Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Malaya, Burma all fell to the Japanese. Once more Great Britain was humiliated when Singapore surrendered and thousands of Allied troops went into captivity. An attempt by the Japanese to deliver a knock-out blow to the Americans by an attack on Midway failed catastrophically and the Americans scored a momentous victory in the Pacific. Air Marshal Sir Arthur Harris became leader of the RAF and the thousand bomber raids and carpet bombing of German cities began. The third year of the war ended with the disastrous Dieppe Raid, carried out by Canadians, in August 1942.Praise for The Second World War Illustrated: The Third Year &“Packed with photographs of machines, battles, weapons, and soldiers. . . . The book is nicely split into separate chapters with each concentrating on a specific event or operation that was being carried out during 1942, so you have the fight for North Africa, the war in the East, Pearl Harbor, Burma, the Bomber Raids over Germany, War in the Pacific and the Commando Raid on St Nazaire etc. . . . Having read the previous book of the previous year I would say it was an equal and would happily recommend it to others, especially if you&’re a younger learner or new to the subject.&” —UK Historian
The Second World War Through Soldiers' Eyes: British Army Life, 1939–1945
by James Goulty'What was it really like to serve in the British Army during the Second World War?Discover a soldier's view of life in the British Army from recruitment and training to the brutal realities of combat. Using first-hand sources, James Goulty reconstructs the experiences of the men and women who made up the 'citizen's army'. Find out about the weapons and equipment they used; the uniforms they wore; how they adjusted to army discipline and faced the challenges of active service overseas.What happened when things went wrong? What were your chances of survival if you were injured in combat or taken prisoner? While they didn't go into combat, thousands of women also served in the British Army with the ATS or as nurses. What were their wartime lives like? And, when the war had finally ended, how did newly demobilised soldiers and servicewomen cope with returning home?The British Army that emerged victorious in 1945 was vastly different from the poorly funded force of 865,000 men who heard Neville Chamberlain declare war in 1939. With an influx of civilian volunteers and conscripts, the army became a citizens force and its character and size were transformed. By D-Day Britain had a well-equipped, disciplined army of over three million men and women and during the war they served in a diverse range of places across the world. This book uncovers some of their stories and gives a fascinating insight into the realities of army life in wartime.
The Second World War Volume I
by Henri Michel“The best available history of the subject” is how the Times Literary Supplement (London) described the original French edition of this book. And Professor Michel, as President of the International Historical Committee for the Second World War and for the past twenty years Secretary-General of the French Historical Committee for the Second World War, was certainly uniquely qualified to produce the authoritative work on the second “war to end all wars.” The Second World War was an unprecedented event. Starting as a European conflict on the established pattern, it eventually became the first war to involve every continent and, in the case of the Pacific, war between continents. The use of air and sea power and the advance of technology made it the first conflict in which civilians were in the front line, and in which the distinction between combatants and noncombatants was almost erased. To a hitherto unknown degree it was also an economic struggle, decided in the end not by individual or collective skill or valor but by the balance of resources available to the participants. The last factor is most clearly evident in the long-term consequences of the war. As Professor Michel demonstrates, it is now clear that the Second World War was the swan song of the European hegemony. Europe, for centuries the begetter of nations and the master of empires, entered the conflict with the trappings, if not the substance, of world leadership. In 1945, however, it was clear that the victory had been won by the resources and manpower of the United States and the Soviet Union, and that the age of the superpowers had dawned. The nations of Europe were physically battered and economically crippled. They had lost their place in the front rank; their empires were doomed; their political and economic power destroyed. Moreover, the two superpowers were now directly involved in European affairs and would henceforth hold the whip hand in deciding the outcome of European conflicts. Professor Michel’s handling of his vast subject and its themes is masterly. The narrative is fluent and lucid, the analysis clear and brilliantly argued. He does full justice to the subject and leaves the reader with an understanding of an immensely comple perio that is in itself a tribute to the author’s skill. The Second World War is amply supplemented with maps, a comprehensive bibliography, and an index, and the translation by Douglas Parmee of Queens’ College, Cambridge University, renders with admirable clarity the original’s mastery of style and subject.
The Second World War Volume II
by Henri Michel“The best available history of the subject” is how the Times Literary Supplement (London) described the original French edition of this book. And Professor Michel, as President of the International Historical Committee for the Second World War and for the past twenty years Secretary-General of the French Historical Committee for the Second World War, was certainly uniquely qualified to produce the authoritative work on the second “war to end all wars.” The Second World War was an unprecedented event. Starting as a European conflict on the established pattern, it eventually became the first war to involve every continent and, in the case of the Pacific, war between continents. The use of air and sea power and the advance of technology made it the first conflict in which civilians were in the front line, and in which the distinction between combatants and noncombatants was almost erased. To a hitherto unknown degree it was also an economic struggle, decided in the end not by individual or collective skill or valor but by the balance of resources available to the participants. The last factor is most clearly evident in the long-term consequences of the war. As Professor Michel demonstrates, it is now clear that the Second World War was the swan song of the European hegemony. Europe, for centuries the begetter of nations and the master of empires, entered the conflict with the trappings, if not the substance, of world leadership. In 1945, however, it was clear that the victory had been won by the resources and manpower of the United States and the Soviet Union, and that the age of the superpowers had dawned. The nations of Europe were physically battered and economically crippled. They had lost their place in the front rank; their empires were doomed; their political and economic power destroyed. Moreover, the two superpowers were now directly involved in European affairs and would henceforth hold the whip hand in deciding the outcome of European conflicts. Professor Michel’s handling of his vast subject and its themes is masterly. The narrative is fluent and lucid, the analysis clear and brilliantly argued. He does full justice to the subject and leaves the reader with an understanding of an immensely complex period that is in itself a tribute to the author’s skill. The Second World War is amply supplemented with maps, a comprehensive bibliography, and an index, and the translation by Douglas Parmee of Queens’ College, Cambridge University, renders with admirable clarity the original’s mastery of style and subject.
The Second World War and North East India: Shadows of Yesteryears
by Sima SaigalThis book discusses the untold story of North East India’s role during the Second World War and its resultant socio-economic and political impact. It goes beyond standard campaign histories and the epicentre of the Kohima-Imphal battlefields to the Brahmaputra and Surma Valley of Assam—the administrative and political hub of the region, where decisions on the allied war efforts were deliberated and effected right from the outset of the War. What happened in the entire region during the intervening years from 1939? What did the war mean for the people of Assam? How were resources from the region mobilized for the global war effort and how did people adapt, co-opt and survive during these tumultuous years? What was the response of the nationalist and provincial political leaders to the challenges and demands of war? How did the crisis of the 1942 war impact the region? First of its kind, this book investigates hitherto unanswered questions to offer an understanding of contemporary Assam and the North East, including discussions on the complexity of issues such as terrain, migration, taxation, profiteering, inflation, famine and food grain trade. With its lucid style and rich archival material, this volume will be essential for scholars and researchers of history, the Second World War, South Asian history, politics and international relations, colonial studies, sociology and social anthropology, and North East India studies as well as to the interested general reader.
The Second World War and the Rise of Mass Nationalism in Brazil: Class, Race and Citizenship
by Alexandre FortesThis book reexamines the socioeconomic and political transformation that occurred in Brazil during the 1940s as a result of the Second World War. Integrating social and political history, the author explores the adoption of new policies around state-sponsored industrialisation, the consolidation of Brazilian labour law institutions, and the expanded influence of ‘racial democracy’ in the country's domestic and foreign policy. The book argues that the nature of the Brazilian state and its definitions of citizenship were redefined both from ‘the top’ – as a result of Brazil’s integration in the new international order following the War – and ‘from below’ - as antifascism and mass nationalism opened new spaces for subaltern agency. Challenging traditional narratives on Brazil’s transition from the Estado Novo dictatorship of Getúlio Vargas to a postwar democratic experience, this book highlights the extent to which political developments were shaped by key global processes and foreign relations with the USA. The book also focuses on the ‘bottom-up’ forces and actors that brought about change in Brazil, emphasising the role of workers, protestors, and popular actors in shaping history. Breaking new ground in Brazilian historiography, this book makes a significant contribution to studies of populism and democratisation in Latin America.
The Second World War's Military Legacy: The Atomic Bomb and Much More
by David Wragg'Necessity is the mother of invention' and nothing is more necessary than victory in war. Driven by the need to defeat Hitler's Nazis and Japanese Imperial ambitions, the period 1939 1945 saw huge and unprecedented leaps in the invention and development of war winning weapons and technology.Well=known author and military expert David Wragg has studied the whole range of land, sea and air technical innovations that originated during the Second World War. Most obvious and strategically important is the Atomic Bomb (and its successor the Hydrogen Bomb) but the list is truly fascinating cruise and ballistic missiles, landing craft, self-propelled guns assault ships, IFF (identification friend or foe), jet engines, sonar, ejection seats to name but some.A number of inventions, while important at the time, had no longer term use; for instance dive-bombers. Others were available but not used until post-war such as in-flight refuelling.The author concludes from his extensive research arguing that there is little new in defence today as so many modern weapons trace their origins back to the Second World War.This is an original and thought-provoking book by a highly respected military history author.
The Second World War, 1939-45: A Strategical and Tactical History [Third Edition]
by Maj.-Gen J. F. C. FullerBritish General J. F. C. Fuller is one of the greatest military thinkers of this century, and has been called the Clausewitz of our time. This book is Fuller’s direct and clear-eyed account of the most terrible war of the modern era. When first published in 1948, it received notices such as these:“The strategic and tactical phases of the war are brilliantly expounded...on that score, the book stands as probably the best comprehensive work on the war to appear so far.”—The New Yorker“The narrative, valuable as it is, is not the most important part of General Fuller’s book. What really matters is the author’s comments on the events he describes, and these provide us with a clear statement of what he thinks not only about particular operations but about the conduct of the war as a whole. The result is a hard-hitting politico-military pamphlet, in which none of the punches are pulled.”—The Spectator“[Fuller] knows how to handle a narrative full of incident; he is thoroughly at home in a subject in which he has kept himself up to date; and...he is one of the very rare original students of warfare whom this country has produced.”—Times Literary SupplementFuller’s biographer, Bryan Holden Reid, has described The Second World War as “an analysis of the breakdown, as Fuller saw it, of the vital relationship between grand strategy and grand tactics—the end and the means....Too often books on the Second World War detail the movements of formations about the battlefield and give space to strategical commentary without assessing the manner in which the war was actually fought. On the tactical level, The Second World War can still be read with profit.”Expertly combining detailed military history and analysis with Clausewitzian insights based on his own theories of warfare, Fuller produced a modern military masterpiece in The Second World War.
The Second World War, Vol. 2: Europe 1939-1943 (Essential Histories)
by Robin HaversWhile many of the participants were the same as the First World War, this conflict was far more than a re-match of 1914-1918. The Second World War was even more destructive than the first and the added ideological element meant that this war was far more cruel. This book details the first four years of the war in Europe. It discusses how and why Hitler's resurgent Germany plunged into war, and examines the German successes against Poland, France, and the Low Countries.
The Second World War, Vol. 3: The War at Sea (Essential Histories)
by Alastair Finlan Philip D. Grove Mark J. GroveThis volume provides a comprehensive guide to three major theaters of combat: the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. The war at sea was a critical contest, as sea-lanes provided the logistical arteries for British and subsequent Allied armies fighting on the three continents of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Land forces ultimately won World War II, but the battles at sea fundamentally altered the balance of military power on the ground.
The Second World War: A Complete History
by Martin Gilbert&“Mr. Gilbert brings the strongest possible credentials to his history of World War II, and the result is a magisterial work&” (The New York Times). In the hands of master historian Martin Gilbert, the complex and compelling story of the Second World War comes to life. This narrative captures the perspectives of leading politicians and war commanders, journalists, civilians, and ordinary soldiers, offering gripping eyewitness accounts of heroism, defeat, suffering, and triumph. This is one of the first historical studies of World War II that describes the Holocaust as an integral part of the war. It also covers maneuvers, strategies, and leaders operating in European, Asian, and Pacific theatres. In addition, this book brings in survivor testimonies of occupation, survival behind enemy lines, and the experience of minority groups such as the Roma in Europe, to offer a comprehensive account of the war&’s impact on individuals on both sides. This is a sweeping narrative of one of the most deadly wars in history, which took almost forty million lives, and irrevocably changed countless more. &“Gilbert&’s flowing narrative is spiced with anecdotal details culled from diaries, memoirs, and official documents. He is especially skillful at interweaving summaries of military strategy with vignettes of civilian suffering.&” —Newsweek &“[A] masterful account of history&’s most destructive conflict.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Second World War: A Military History
by Gordon CorriganA landmark reassessment of World War II that reconsiders the immense six-year conflict under the lens of the many separate campaigns fought in Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean.A definitive single-volume military history of World War II, Gordon Corrigan's The Second World War reveals the vastly diverse ways in which each campaign was waged against very different enemies who rarely, if ever, coordinated their efforts. Corrigan, who has developed a scholarly reputation of challenging long-held historical assumptions, examines the agendas of the warring nations and offers fresh and vivid interpretations of how the war was fought and how it was won. In particular, the author dispels myths regarding the effectiveness of the American and British war efforts and brings the contributions of the Russian armies to the forefront. Vast in vision and epic in scope, The Second World War will change forever the way we think about the titanic conflicts that decided the shape of the modern world.
The Second World War: A Miscellany
by Norman FergusonFrom the horrors of the Holocaust to the D-Day landings, the Second World War changed the political, social and economic structure of the world. Through its battles, aircraft, weapons, soldiers, campaigns and heroes, this miscellany is a compelling guide to one of the most destructive and all-encompassing wars the world has ever seen.
The Second World War: A Miscellany
by Norman FergusonFrom the horrors of the Holocaust to the D-Day landings, the Second World War changed the political, social and economic structure of the world. Through its battles, aircraft, weapons, soldiers, campaigns and heroes, this miscellany is a compelling guide to one of the most destructive and all-encompassing wars the world has ever seen.
The Second World War: A Miscellany
by Norman FergusonTelling the stories of the Battle of Britain, the Siege of Leningrad, the horrors of the Holocaust, the D-Day landings and the other battles, campaigns, aircraft, weapons, soldiers and heroes on the Home Front and abroad, this is a compelling guide to one of the most destructive and all-encompassing wars the world has ever seen.
The Second World War: A Short History
by R. A. C. ParkerThis is a compact but comprehensive and absorbing history of the Second World War. It examines the causes of the war, how it was won and lost, and its far-reaching consequences for humanity.
The Second World War: Ambitions to Nemesis
by Bradley LightbodyBradley Lightbody presents a fascinating and accessible history of the Second World War in its global context. Examining the war around general themes from ambition and advance, through expansion and containment, to rout and victory, The Second World War covers all the major theatres and events of the war. From the origins and background to the war to its aftermath and legacy, The Second World War covers: * the pre-war ambitions of Italy, Germany and Japan* the outbreak of the war in Poland* the 'Phoney War'* Blitzkrieg, the Fall of France and the Battle of Britain* Pearl Harbour* the war in North Africa and El Alamein* the final solution* D-Day, the liberation of Italy and deliverance from the concentration camps* the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the global ambitions and the global warfare that was the Second World War, making it essential reading for all students of twentieth century world history.
The Second World War: An Illustrated History
by James HollandDiscover the story of the Second World War brought to life in full colour by renowned historian James Holland and award-winning artist Keith Burns'A fully immersive experience. A comprehensive yet fast-paced and gripping insight into the Second World War. Not just accessible, but riveting. An absolute pleasure to read' GET HISTORY'A ground-breaking collaboration between bestselling historian James Holland and award-winning artist Keith Burns presents the war in full colour, bringing the text vividly to life' HISTORY OF WAR__________From the great cities of Europe to the jungles of Burma, and from the deserts of North Africa to the remote islands of the South Pacific and the freezing waters of the Arctic, the Second World War touched every continent and ocean on the planet. And from the Blitzkrieg to the atom bomb, the fighting fuelled new technological development on land, at sea and in the air at a ferocious pace. Our future was forged by war.Combining compelling personal stories with a clear and accessible appreciation of the strategic and operational battle for supremacy between the Allies and the Axis powers, bestselling historian James Holland weaves an irresistible narrative, with over 250 illustrations by acclaimed artist Keith Burns, commissioned specially for this project.Together, they bring events in The Second World War: An Illustrated History to life with stunning drama and dynamism.Over five years in the making, their groundbreaking collaboration has produced a unique and unforgettable account of the most extraordinary events the world has ever seen.__________'Gripping text, masterful imagery and touching personal stories make this a must-buy for anyone with an interest in World War Two' CLASSIC MILITARY VEHICLES'A bold attempt to expand the market for military history . . . aimed at a general reader who wants to get an overall grasp of a massive subject . . . this is an impressive achievement' BOOKBRUNCH
The Second World War: Asia And The Pacific (The West Point Military History Series)
by Thomas E. GriessBeginning with a look at the readiness of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy and the United States armed forces, this book gives a detailed account of the Allies’ brutal five-year struggle with Japan. It examines the interrelationship of land, sea, and air forces as they battled over the vast reaches of the Pacific Theater of War.
The Second World War: The Classic One-Volume Abridgment (Winston S. Churchill The Second World War)
by Winston S. ChurchillThe former Prime Minister and Nobel Prize–winning author chronicles Britain’s World War II experience from the aftermath of WWI to July 1945.World War II was the most pivotal event of the twentieth century. It was Great Britain’s darkest and finest hour in which the nation’s people showed great resilience and resourcefulness. Helping to lead them through this tumultuous era was Sir Winston Churchill. The Second World War is his account of the period, compiled using his own notes as well as official documents to which he had official access.This edition of The Second World War is the classic one-volume abridgment of Sir Winston Churchill’s landmark history of the conflict. It was abridged by Denis Kelly (with Churchill’s approval) of the following volumes composed by Churchill: The Gathering Storm, The Finest Hour, The Grand Alliance, The Hinge of Fate, Closing the Ring, and Triumph and Tragedy. This edition also features Churchill’s epilogue now published in book form for the first time. At once a personal account and a magisterial history, this remains Churchill's literary masterpiece.
The Second World War: Volume III The Japanese War 1941–1945 (The Second World War)
by Jeremy BlackWorld War II defined the 20th century and shaped the contemporary world; from the decolonization of Africa to the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall. This comprehensive series, edited by one of the worlds leading military historians, offers a focused overview of this complex and volatile era, taking into account the political, economic and social factors, as well as military circumstances of the road to war and its consequences. Augmented by a full length and detailed introduction by the editor, each volume gathers together the seminal articles on specific arenas of the war, providing a convenient and essential resource for researchers and general readers alike.
The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won
by Victor Davis HansonA definitive account of World War II by America's preeminent military historianWorld War II was the most lethal conflict in human history. Never before had a war been fought on so many diverse landscapes and in so many different ways, from rocket attacks in London to jungle fighting in Burma to armor strikes in Libya.The Second World Wars examines how combat unfolded in the air, at sea, and on land to show how distinct conflicts among disparate combatants coalesced into one interconnected global war. Drawing on 3,000 years of military history, Victor Davis Hanson argues that despite its novel industrial barbarity, neither the war's origins nor its geography were unusual. Nor was its ultimate outcome surprising. The Axis powers were well prepared to win limited border conflicts, but once they blundered into global war, they had no hope of victory.An authoritative new history of astonishing breadth, The Second World Wars offers a stunning reinterpretation of history's deadliest conflict.